Puerto Rico Ports Authority Executive Director Víctor Suárez said Tuesday the Federal Aviation Administration has been “rigorously evaluating” the proposed public-private partnership deal for the Luis Muñoz Marín International airport because “everything they express will become precedent.”
Talks are underway between the Ports Authority and the Puerto Rico National Guard to move the latter’s operations out of Isla Grande’s Fernando Ribas Dominicci and Luis Muñoz Marín International airports to Ceiba, to free up valuable space at the metropolitan area air transportation facilities.
Seaborne Airlines announced Tuesday new non-stop service from Luis Muñoz Marín Airport to three new airports in the Caribbean — Melville Hall Airport in Dominica, the Aime Cesaire Airport de Fort-de-France in Martinique, and the Pointe-a-Pitre International Airport in Guadeloupe — starting April 1.
Moody's Investors Service announced Wednesday it has assigned provisional ‘Baa3’ ratings to Aerostar Airport Holdings, LLC's $350 million of senior secured bonds. The outlook is stable. Bond proceeds will be used to partially fund the acquisition of a long-term lease to operate the Luis Muñoz Marin Airport.
In about a week, the Federal Aviation Administration is expected to make its decision on the public-private partnership agreement through which the government of Puerto Rico would turn over the management of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to Aerostar Airport Holdings for the next 40 years.
Puerto Rico’s tourism and transportation industries were quite active in 2012, when a number of hotels opened for business — including the lavish Dorado Beach Ritz Carlton Reserve — and several others broke ground.
If the Puerto Rico government were to walk away from the public-private partnership that turns over the responsibility of managing and operating the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to Aerostar Holdings, it would have to compensate the consortium with as much as $8 million for its troubles, according to the 40-year lease agreement signed earlier this year.
Southwest Airlines announced Thursday the start of new service between the the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina to Orlando and Tampa Bay, Florida starting April 2013.
Seaborne Airlines, the regional carrier based in St. Croix, announced Monday its plans to expand flight frequency and capacity between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands for Spring 2013 and beyond.
Puerto Rico Public Private Alliance Authority Executive Director David Álvarez acknowledged Tuesday that if the Federal Aviation Administration fails to give its go-ahead to the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport P3, the government would not pursue another such deal.
While dozens of representatives from the public, private and labor sectors asked for a turn to speak during last Friday’s Federal Aviation Administration-sponsored hearing on the proposal to transfer the operation of Puerto Rico’s main airport facility, the Luis Muñoz Marín Airport, out of the government’s hands, others have opted to go online to express their thoughts on the historic transaction.
The president of Puerto Rican airline Air Flamenco asked the local government to reconsider its endorsement of a subsidy to Massachusetts-based Cape Air for flights connecting the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.
Upon determining that the final application from the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority to turn the management of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport over to private hands is “substantially complete,” the Federal Aviation Administration officially opened a 60-day review period.
While the average of air passenger departures out of U.S. mainland airports has gradually risen in the past 12‐months, the same activity out of Puerto Rico airports has zigzagged, according to Banco Popular’s “Progreso Económico” report released Thursday.
The Federal Aviation Administration will hold on Sept. 28 what will likely be the only public hearing on the proposed public-private partnership through which the government of Puerto Rico would turn the management of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport over to Aerostar Holdings, News is my Business learned.
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